Politicians suspended after violent dispute in House

Civic Choice, M5S members sanctioned for fighting

(ANSA) - Rome, February 27 - A group of politicians,
including members of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement
(M5S) and the centrist Civic Choice, were handed suspensions
from the Lower House on Thursday for brawling in late January
inside the chamber.

Stefano Dambruoso of the Civic Choice was suspended for 15
days, though he had previously apologised for allegedly slapping
a female colleague of the M5S during the dispute that broke out
when M5S members appeared bent on attacking former House Speaker
Laura Boldrini.

Dambruoso, an officer called a quaestor responsible for
keeping order in the lower chamber of parliament, said his
gesture had been unintentional and aimed only at preventing
Loredana Lupo and her M5S colleagues from advancing on Boldrini.

As well on Thursday, eight members of the M5S were
suspended for eight days for their role in the dust-up that
spread over January 28 and 29.

Another 23 M5S members were handed 10-day suspensions over
the events while M5S politician Silvia Benedetti was suspended
for 12 days after she bit a rival politician.

Members of the M5S movement led by
comedian-turned-politician Beppe Grillo charged Boldrini after
the latter used the Speaker's guillotine powers for the first
time in history to interrupt a filibuster they were was staging
so a decree providing for the revaluation of the share capital
of the Bank of Italy could pass before it was timed it out.

MS5 members were opposed to the measure on grounds it only
benefits the nation's banks.